US3732871A — Method and apparatus for making cigarettes

Claim 1

Independent Claim 155 words

A method of making cigarettes in which tobacco is showered on to a moving band to form a filler stream thereon, including the steps of extracting shorts from the tobacco, feeding the tobacco in the form of a shower along a path leading to the band, feeding a stream of the extracted shorts towards said tobacco shower by means of a vibrating tray which smooths the flow of shorts, the width of said stream of shorts being narrower than that of the shower of tobacco, said stream of extracted shorts being fed along a first part of the tray at a relatively slow velocity as a relatively thick stream, being accelerated, and fed along the downstream end of said tray at a higher velocity as a thinner stream, discharging the thinner stream of shorts therefrom into a part of the tobacco shower, and showering the shorts on to the band together with said tobacco shower.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 155 words

A method of making cigarettes in which tobacco is showered on to a moving band to form a filler stream thereon, including the steps of extracting shorts from the tobacco, feeding the tobacco in the form of a shower along a path leading to the band, feeding a stream of the extracted shorts towards said tobacco shower by means of a vibrating tray which smooths the flow of shorts, the width of said stream of shorts being narrower than that of the shower of tobacco, said stream of extracted shorts being fed along a first part of the tray at a relatively slow velocity as a relatively thick stream, being accelerated, and fed along the downstream end of said tray at a higher velocity as a thinner stream, discharging the thinner stream of shorts therefrom into a part of the tobacco shower, and showering the shorts on to the band together with said tobacco shower.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 36 words

A method according to claim 1 in which the step of showering the tobacco and shorts on to the band comprises showering the tobacco and shorts by means of an air stream flowing towards the band.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 65 words

A method according to claim 2 further comprising trimming away part of the cigarette filler stream formed on the moving band, said step of showering the shorts on to the band comprising showering the shorts at a position along the path of the moving band such that they occupy a level of the cigarette filler stream which remains after said part has been trimmed away.

Claim 5

Independent Claim 198 words

A method of making cigarettes in which a stream of tobacco is showered onto a moving band by means of an air stream flowing towards the band to form a filler stream on the band, including the steps of extracting shorts from the tobacco before the tobacco is showered on to the band; feeding a stream of the extracted shorts part of the way towards the shower at a first relatively slow velocity by means of a vibrating tray which smooths the flow of shorts, the width of said stream of shorts being narrower than the stream of tobacco fed into the shower, and then feeding the shorts further towards the shower at a second, higher velocity; showering the shorts onto the band; and trimming away part of the filler stream formed on the moving band; said step of showering the shorts on to the band taking place at a position along the path of the moving band such that a thin layer of tobacco is showered on to the band before the shorts stream is showered on to the band, said shorts stream occupying a level in the filler stream which remains on the band after trimming.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 198 words

A method of making cigarettes in which a stream of tobacco is showered onto a moving band by means of an air stream flowing towards the band to form a filler stream on the band, including the steps of extracting shorts from the tobacco before the tobacco is showered on to the band; feeding a stream of the extracted shorts part of the way towards the shower at a first relatively slow velocity by means of a vibrating tray which smooths the flow of shorts, the width of said stream of shorts being narrower than the stream of tobacco fed into the shower, and then feeding the shorts further towards the shower at a second, higher velocity; showering the shorts onto the band; and trimming away part of the filler stream formed on the moving band; said step of showering the shorts on to the band taking place at a position along the path of the moving band such that a thin layer of tobacco is showered on to the band before the shorts stream is showered on to the band, said shorts stream occupying a level in the filler stream which remains on the band after trimming.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 173 words

A cigarette making machine in which tObacco is showered on to a moving band, including means for extracting tobacco shorts before the tobacco is showered; conveyor means for feeding the shorts towards and into a predetermined zone of the shower, said conveyor means having a first part comprising a vibrating tray which is arranged to smooth the flow of shorts while feeding the shorts towards the shower and to feed them at a relatively slow velocity, and a second part which is arranged to accelerate the shorts and feed them at a higher velocity; means for producing and directing an air stream towards said band by which the shorts and tobacco are showered on to the band; and a trimmer adapted to trim away part of the cigarette filler stream on the band, excluding the layer of shorts; said means for producing and directing an air stream towards said band being adapted to shower a thin layer of tobacco on to the band before the shorts stream is showered on to the band.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 173 words

A cigarette making machine in which tObacco is showered on to a moving band, including means for extracting tobacco shorts before the tobacco is showered; conveyor means for feeding the shorts towards and into a predetermined zone of the shower, said conveyor means having a first part comprising a vibrating tray which is arranged to smooth the flow of shorts while feeding the shorts towards the shower and to feed them at a relatively slow velocity, and a second part which is arranged to accelerate the shorts and feed them at a higher velocity; means for producing and directing an air stream towards said band by which the shorts and tobacco are showered on to the band; and a trimmer adapted to trim away part of the cigarette filler stream on the band, excluding the layer of shorts; said means for producing and directing an air stream towards said band being adapted to shower a thin layer of tobacco on to the band before the shorts stream is showered on to the band.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 185 words

A cigarette making machine comprising a hopper for tobacco; means for delivering tobacco from the hopper and for feeding the tobacco along a path in the form of a shower on to a conveyor to form a cigarette filler stream; trimming means for trimming away part of the cigarette filler stream; means extracting shorts from the whole width of the hopper and means for feeding the shorts towards and into a predetermined zone of the shower along said path, whereby the shorts occupy a level in the cigarette filler stream on the conveyor which remains after said part of the cigarette filler stream has been trimmed away by the trimming means; the shorts feeding means comprising a vibrating tray arranged to vibrate in a predetermined direction and having an upstream portion set at an inclination to the direction of vibration whereby the shorts move along the upstream portion thereof as a relatively thick, slow-moving stream, and having a downstream portion which is inclined to the upstream portion and arranged so as to discharge the shorts therefrom into the shower as a thinner, faster-moving portion thereof.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 185 words

A cigarette making machine comprising a hopper for tobacco; means for delivering tobacco from the hopper and for feeding the tobacco along a path in the form of a shower on to a conveyor to form a cigarette filler stream; trimming means for trimming away part of the cigarette filler stream; means extracting shorts from the whole width of the hopper and means for feeding the shorts towards and into a predetermined zone of the shower along said path, whereby the shorts occupy a level in the cigarette filler stream on the conveyor which remains after said part of the cigarette filler stream has been trimmed away by the trimming means; the shorts feeding means comprising a vibrating tray arranged to vibrate in a predetermined direction and having an upstream portion set at an inclination to the direction of vibration whereby the shorts move along the upstream portion thereof as a relatively thick, slow-moving stream, and having a downstream portion which is inclined to the upstream portion and arranged so as to discharge the shorts therefrom into the shower as a thinner, faster-moving portion thereof.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 153 words

A cigarette making machine in which tobacco is showered on to a moving band, including means for extracting tobacco shorts before the tobacco is showered; conveyor means for feeding the shorts towards and into a predetermined zone of the shower, said conveyor means having a first part comprising a vibrating tray which is arranged to smooth the flow of shorts while feeding the shorts towards the shower and to feed them at a relatively slow velocity, and a second part which is arranged to accelerate the shorts and feed them towards and into the shower at a higher velocity; said conveyor means being arranged to convey the shorts as a stream which is narrower than the width of tobacco showered on to the band and to feed the shorts in to the shower at a position such that a layer of tobacco is showered on to the band before the stream of shorts.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 153 words

A cigarette making machine in which tobacco is showered on to a moving band, including means for extracting tobacco shorts before the tobacco is showered; conveyor means for feeding the shorts towards and into a predetermined zone of the shower, said conveyor means having a first part comprising a vibrating tray which is arranged to smooth the flow of shorts while feeding the shorts towards the shower and to feed them at a relatively slow velocity, and a second part which is arranged to accelerate the shorts and feed them towards and into the shower at a higher velocity; said conveyor means being arranged to convey the shorts as a stream which is narrower than the width of tobacco showered on to the band and to feed the shorts in to the shower at a position such that a layer of tobacco is showered on to the band before the stream of shorts.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 24 words

A machine according to claim 7 comprising a trimmer adapted to trim away part of the cigarette filler stream excluding the layer of shorts.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 25 words

A machine according to claim 7 in which said second part of said conveyor means comprises a downwardly inclined end portion to said vibrating tray.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-05-14	1976-11-13	1977-05-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-05-14	1980-11-13	1981-05-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-05-14	1984-11-13	1985-05-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for making cigarettes

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